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On the Road
Having driven an X6 with the same 4.4 litre V8 before – I knew just what the engine could do, which is put a permanent smile on your face. I also knew that BMW engineers have the ability to completely camouflage the size and shape of whatever it is you’re behind the wheel of – making it immediately feel half its size, and, therefore, fun to drive. But this is a mammoth, two-tonne, luxury car. And while I did expect to be in awe of the driving experience, I was in no way ready for just how much fun the 750Li is to drive. It’s truly astonishing how BMW manage to instill their sporting DNA into every car that wears the propeller badge – regardless of size, shape, and/or primary purpose.
One dab of the throttle pedal, and I mean just a nudge, or flick of the steering wheel, and the 750 shrinks around you in a way that’s incomprehensible at first – frankly, it goes against all reason that it should feel as lithe and responsive as it really does. The Active Steering means that it really does turn in like a go-kart. The various Drive Control systems ensure that it corners completely flat at any speed. And the engine – my God the engine! It really does feel powered by a supernatural force. If, in ‘Comfort’ mode, the throttle response feels a little sluggish or the shifts feel a tad slow, all you have to do is put the Adaptive Drive Control in ‘Sport,’ and the 750 lunges forward like a car possessed. The digits climb with such ferocity on the Head-up display that if you look away for even a moment, by the time you look up again, you’re doing in the vicinity of at least 140km/h. And lest you think that a car this big and heavy should be hard to slow down once again, it takes just a short, purposeful stab at the brake pedal, and you’re stationary once again – ready to do it all over again, with no drama whatsoever.
Of course, the serving-tray sized discs means that the 750 comes with 19-inch alloys as standard, and that does compromise ride quality to a certain degree. Don’t get me wrong, the 7 is still serene – it does have a moving-mansion like quality, but the ride is firm to the degree that you do feel the road surface. It may not be uncomfortable, but let’s just say you’re made aware should you inadvertently drive over a small boulder for instance. Perhaps it’s a better set-up for the Autobahn, rather than our rough-and-tumble city streets.
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To improve handling, the 750 has sports car like double wishbones in the front suspension, as opposed to Macpherson struts that BMW’s favoured in the past for its luxury flagship. Combine that with a rear drive chassis, as well as intoxicating power, and you do indeed have a recipe for mayhem – not to mention the fact that it has a playful chassis that eggs you on every step of the way. Now, your chauffeur probably won’t be doing any power slides, but I couldn’t resist – although Active Steering does make opposite-lock a little tricky. Nevertheless, try hard enough, and it’s actually quite easy to light up the 275/40 R19 rear tires. You can take a ludicrous amount of liberties with this car – the chassis instills so much confidence, and, besides, the safety net is all pervasive. Even in ‘Sport Plus,’ where traction control is supposed to be switched off, it only lets you have a little fun before its cuts in like a frowning headmaster each time.
Once you’ve had your fun, though, and settled down, it is a completely serene environment – like someone in the back seat said, “It’s like your drawing room is moving.” In fact, it’s one of the only cars in which I didn’t feel the need, even once, to slot the gear lever in manual mode and change gears for myself. Even in traffic, it doesn’t feel particularly large or unwieldy – you are concerned, undoubtedly, with various forms of traffic at close quarters. But then, most other road users are just as concerned about causing a blemish to an impressive machine such as this. And, to aid you in stop-and-go traffic, the 750Li has an Auto-Hold button behind the parking brake switch on the center console – this ensures that the parking brake is automatically activated each time you come to a halt, which can be very useful in city driving. |
What stays with you, however, is the epic power from the twin-turbocharged V8. Power really does corrupt – and you can be certain that absolute power such as this corrupts absolutely.
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Verdict
The 750Li is a very special machine – gone are the quirks of the previous generation, both aesthetically as well as technologically. You no longer need a PHD in Computer Science just to get by in the 7 series, which is not to say that a degree wouldn’t hurt nonetheless.
It goes without saying that the 750 is frightfully expensive – as they say, ‘If you have to ask, you probably can’t afford one.’ But you do get what you pay for, which is a car that’s a technological marvel from every angle – whether that’s from behind the wheel, or from the leather lined comfort of the rear seat. I have only request – if you can afford it, and you do buy one, please drive it yourself, even if it’s only occasionally. If, instead, you merely wish to be transported from A-to-B in supreme comfort, opt for the better ride quality of the Mercedes. If you want more than that though, it’s the 7 series that now comes up trumps.
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| Engine |
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4,395cc / V8 / 32 valves / twin-turbochargers / direct injection |
| Fuel |
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Petrol |
| Transmission |
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6-speed automatic / Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Power |
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407bhp @ 5500rpm |
| Torque |
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440lb/ft @ 1750rpm |
| Acceleration |
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0-100km/h – 5.3 seconds |
| Price |
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Rs. 93 lakhs (plus options, ex-showroom, Delhi) |
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The 750 meets its ancestor
You don’t come across too many cars in powder blue these days, and the car in question stands out that much more when it’s an impeccable example of a stately 735il from 1991 – restored to its present glory by Pandit & Co. in New Delhi.
This 7 series is from a time when clean, straightforward lines determined good design – before concepts such as flame surfacing and concave panels became part of design ethos. What you find here are naturally pleasing proportions, and a crisp overall design that you’d struggle to take exception with – as opposed to some Bangle BMWs of the recent past that you have to learn to like, if at all that’s possible.
The 735il, when viewed in solitude, looks as large a car as you’d ever need. But park it next to the 750Li, and it looks positively dwarfed by the newer car. The styling of the 750 is a lot more elaborate, and it certainly appears overbearing in front of the classic 735il.
The cars are almost two decades apart, and that’s the equivalent of a few light years when it comes to computer technology, so it’s not surprising to see just how many new-age gizmos the 750 has in comparison with its predecessor, which is not to say that the 735 is to be left behind entirely however. The 1991 7 series has hydraulic suspension, steering and brakes – all of which are driven by a single hydraulic pump. Turn on the ignition in the 735il, and the self leveling suspension immediately raises the rear suspension by a few inches. The 735 also came with ABS – remember, this is in 1991. It also has toys such as dual ACs, headlight washers, and the like. On the inside, the 735il is extremely comfortable, with seemingly acres of space. Or, at least it seems so – until you step into the 750 that is.
Nevertheless, the supple leather seats are soft, as is the ride – courtesy of hydraulic suspension, and 15-inch rims (versus 19” in the 750), which gives it a decidedly magic-carpet feel. In keeping with the exterior styling, the interiors are functional, but pleasing all the same – with nice touches like natural wood trim.
On the flip side, in the performance stakes, the older car has no choice but to take a back seat to its younger sibling – with its 3.4 litre, 12 valve, in-line 6, producing just above 200bhp, which is half the horsepower of the 750. You have to remember though that the newer car is considerably heavier, and therefore needs the added grunt. And, while in absolute terms there’s no comparison, the 735il completes the 0-100 sprint in a respectable 9 seconds if you step on it – not to mention the fact that it has the legendary, bullet-proof in-line six singing all the way to the redline in the process.
At the end of the day, the 735 has a charm and elegance that the new car will always struggle to match with its multitude of electronics and buttons. The 750Li does demonstrate the enormous technological advancements made over the years. After all, the game has clearly moved on, but it has lost some of the grace in the process – or is it that we just view the past with rose-tinted glasses? |
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